thanatos106

So I finally fixed the internet prob (kind of) and I was able to upload the PICs and make this review.

Firts the specs of the testing SYS:

Processor: Pentium 2.4 GHZ/1M/533
Motherboard:Asrock P4i45GV
Memory:512 MB DDR 400 PC3200
Hard drive:Seagate 3.5" 80 GB 7200 RPM
DVD drive:Sansung 16X (full size)
PCI cards:3com network card
USB devices:Linksys WUSB54G wireless usb adapter
PSU to provide 12V to the M2-ATX:Codegen 400W MAX

Firts I did was to isolate the unit so I won't damage any part of the testing hardware or PSU. I used standoffs and a pice of plexi:



Then I soldered 3 pins of a male molex that I had laying around, so I don't have to cut the cables of a good PSU (just insert them in to the female molex:



Also I have to made my own switch wire cus the factory one is really short:



Then I pluged the M2-ATX to the Mobo and start teting the futures of the unit. I also connected the power led and the optinal manual switch, they all work fine.

This is a couple of pics of the unit mounted in to the PC case (I hold it down with a clamp):




The unit power up the system and it did all the shudown process without any problem. I ran a DVD move and leave the PC running all night playing MP3s and the next morning everything still working.

Now the little problems I encountered (besides the switching cable of course!):

The input cables connectors are too close to each other, making the disconnecting procedure to me super hard:



Also this is no a big deal but when testing the different offdelay I discovered that mode 6 (30 min) is off for about 2 min and 30 secs, and mode 7 (3 hours) is off about 3 min 12 secs (and yes I did test it with a watch in hand )

So this is it, I had more pics but something weird is happening with photo bucket cus when trying to upload more pics they were only have of it!

I hope this helps andrewB with his product, and many more users that been wodering about the M2-ATX.

Thanatos.

__________________
RexBruMet Skin for FrodoPlayer

Nissan Aux-in MOD

JasonWW

For a moment there I thought you said mode 6 only lasted 2m and 30secs and then turned off. But you mean it (30 minutes) was close but not quite accurate. So it was like 27.5 or 32.5 minutes, right? Just want to make this clear.

thanatos106

It was 32.5 min instead of 30 min for the PC to power off.

Thanatos.

__________________
RexBruMet Skin for FrodoPlayer

Nissan Aux-in MOD

tbird2340

So to power it w/ your ATX PSU you just connected the IGN (white) and CONSTANT (red) to YELLOW (12V) wires of your PSU and the GROUND (black) to a BLACK wire of the PSU..

Then what did you do to get it to boot up?

__________________
Current Vehicle: 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab

First Vehicle: 2003 Ford Ranger

thanatos106

This is the trick:

CONSTANT (red) to YELLOW (12V)
GROUND (black) to a BLACK wire of the PSU

And the IGN (white) I pluged and unpluged to another molex yellow (12V) cable (cus I used male molex pins, I just have to pull it to simulate that it switch off *take alook to the pic below*)
And the white.

Thanatos.

Attached Images

 

__________________
RexBruMet Skin for FrodoPlayer

Nissan Aux-in MOD

tbird2340

Weird.. I do the same and my mobo doesn't power on. I do have the lan light blinking but it won't power on?

__________________
Current Vehicle: 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab

First Vehicle: 2003 Ford Ranger

checksum

Thanks for the review.

Did you do any power calculation?
How much power would you say that the P4 2.4GHZ draws?
Did the unit get really hot when you left it on the whole night? I am trying to see if it will require a fan or not.
Is that all the peripherals you plan to power with your M2ATX?
Where did you purchase it?

__________________
Just Starting my project

JasonWW

Max power consumption varies depending on which core you have. Intel lists "typical power consumption", unlike AMD which lists max. Still, you have to read between the lines for certain processors.
Here are the 2 Intels:
Intel Pentium 4 A 2400 MHz Prescott (89 Watts)
Intel Pentium 4 C 2400 MHz Northwood (66.2 Watts)
So you have to increase the wattage a little to get the max. Figure 100w for the Prescott and 75-80w for the Northwood. Now under normal CarPC usage your not going to be pushing the CPU very hard so it will be running cooler.

The new 90nm AMD Sempron, for comparison, maxes out at about 30w. This is the 3000+ model.

I know the AMD's pull their CPU voltage from the 12v rail, but I think the Intels get their voltage from the 5v rail.

SuprchargdMazda

I'm in the search for a processor right now to run on a M2, saw your post and went to newegg.com and looked up 90nm process type Sempron series, and the only cpu that came up was the Sempron 3100+ : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819104220

Is this the only one that uses up about 30W, cuz I know according to http://users.erols.com/chare/elec.htm Semprons use up ~65W?


Also, to the original poster, why are you hooking up your DC-DC power supply to a regular power supply used in a computer? I thought the purpose of going DC-DC was to avoid regular psu's and inverters?? I don't understand the connections going on here....

tbird2340

My M2 runs everything in my signature.. I think the OP was powering the M2 via the house PSU to test and write his review w/out instaling it in his car.

__________________
Current Vehicle: 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab

First Vehicle: 2003 Ford Ranger

thanatos106

Well I did that so I don't have to either do a 2 hour review inside the car (with the damn heat that we have in miami) or bring the rest of the car inside my house (and I say the rest cus a big part of the car is inside already)

Thanatos.

__________________
RexBruMet Skin for FrodoPlayer

Nissan Aux-in MOD

SuprchargdMazda

Oh ok, I didn't get that from the original post...

JasonWW

Look for the Sempron 64. They should all be using the 90nm process. Verify before buying, just to make sure. Newegg shows 7 models:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...289&Submit=ENE
2500+
2600+
2800+
3000+
3100+
3300+
3400+
Only the models starting at 3000+ and above have the "Quiet and Cool" feature meaning it can be throttled back under light loads to run even cooler. My 3000+ fan stays off most the time! The mobo needs to support "Quiet and Cool" as well for it to work. I give some details here:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...7&postcount=42

The fastest of the older 130nm Semprons may use about 60-65 watts max, but AMD decided to use that max figure for all the Semprons. If you look at a power consumption table you will see all Semprons using the same max number even though the speeds and voltages vary. I don't know why AMD did that, but don't be fooled. These new 90nm run much cooler than the older 130nm ones. The trick is getting a good mobo that supports the "QnC" feature as well as has fan control to keep the noise down.

AMcCann

Eh, sorry for bringing a review up from the dead. But... I've got a newb question which I've searched for with no answer. So bare w/ the question. How do you hook up HDDs and CD Drives to the M2-ATX, I dont see any of those 4 pin molex connectors or anything and the wiring harness picture in the Mp3car.com/store didnt show anything either... neither did the manuals.

PURDooM

The m2-atx's cord which runs from the m2-atx to the atx power connector on the mobo branches off into 2 HDD/CD connectors and 1 smaller floppy connector. From there you can split the connectors into as many devices as you have and can power.

__________________
Current projects: iGmod reloaded (Latest release) (put on hiatus indefinatly)

Unlimited Internet and gps tracking for $6 a month with boost mobile!

Carputer 2: www.lmaocar.com